1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for printing an image or the like on a label side of a disc medium, and more particularly to printing the image starting from an outermost circumference of a print area if the non-image inner section requires a longer processing time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current digital technology allow users to store their favorite video/audio contents on a disc medium, and to view/listen to the stored video/audio contents using media players. In addition, the disc medium can store a large amount of contents.
Users also place stickers or labels on a case holding a respective disc medium to identify the various information stored on the medium. However, when the sticker is attached on the case of the disc medium, the user cannot identify information stored on the disc medium when the disc medium is separated from the case. Also, when the sticker is attached to the label side of the disc medium, the outline portion of the sticker may become dirty due to an adhesive agent, or the sticker may be separated from the label side as time passes. The sticker may also become jammed in a corresponding disc drive.
Accordingly, a method of printing or recording a label directly on a label side of the disc medium has been provided. That is, the user may print or record a desired image or letters on the label side of the disc by irradiating a beam directly onto a coating surface. This method is called a “LightScribe” process.
In more detail, as shown in FIG. 1A, a LightScribe disc medium includes a control feature zone 2 next to a clamping zone 1 on a label side of the disc medium. The disc also includes a label zone and center hole. As shown in FIG. 1B, the control feature zone 2 includes a speed control feature band 2a, a control feature outer ring 2b, and a mirror region 2c. In addition, in one example generally 400 spokes are marked in the speed control feature band 2a, and a rectangular or sawteeth-shape pattern is formed in the control feature outer ring 2 b, thereby partitioning the disc medium into an index mark area, a first media ID field area, a first sawteeth wave area, a second media ID field area, a second sawteeth wave area, and a third media ID field area, as shown in FIG. 1C.
In addition, the pattern formed in the control feature zone 2 is detected by an encoder, which is located at a position corresponding to an inner circumference of a disc in a recording apparatus. When a disc medium as shown in FIG. 1A rotates, the rotation speed of the disc can be measured based on the period of a rectangular pulse detected from the spokes detected by the encoder. Therefore, input data is recorded or printed on the label side in synchronization with an end point 2d of the index mark.
Further, it is necessary to exactly identify radial positions (hereinafter, the term “position” represents a radial position if another definition is not included) on the disc to print a graphic image or letters on the label side of the disc medium. However, information formed in the control feature zone 2 does not include information about the radial positions. That is, it is necessary to exactly identify each position on the disc to record the graphic image or letters desired by the user on the label side without error, but it is impossible to identify a current position.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the related art recording apparatus moves the recording beam to sequentially pass from an innermost circle 3a of the print area along the print lines (print circles) with a predetermined recording speed (e.g., an X/4 speed) to print or record the image. When there is no image in the outward portion of a current print line, the LightScribe operation is stopped.
However, the related recording apparatus always starts the printing operation from the innermost circle 3a regardless of whether or not there is an image to be printed therein, and consecutively moves in an outward direction by one print circle at a time, while passing along each print line at a predetermined recording speed, which results in an extended printing operation.